Tougher online safety law needed: report

The Morrison government has released the findings of a landmark report into online safety, which seeks new laws and tougher penalties.

ONLINE SAFETY REVIEW FINDINGS

* Changes in technology and social media have outrun the system of taking down inappropriate content.

* Current industry co-regulation is not enough to address the threats of harm, and laws are inconsistent.

* A new Online Safety Act and code of industry practice is needed, alongside a national online safety plan.

* Laws should target what the online industry does rather than how they do it.

* Laws need to be technology and device neutral, embracing all relevant platforms, services, distribution access mechanisms and devices.

* Online industry must go beyond simple compliance with minimum safety standards to a much higher new benchmark standard.

* Industry must build online safety into its design and proactively patrol, detect and remove harmful or illegal content at its source from their platforms.

* Changes should be supported by tougher and more interventionist enforcement, reporting on compliance and penalties for misconduct.

* ESafety commissioner should move out of the Australian Communications and Media Authority and into the Department of Communications and the Arts.

(Source: Report by Lynelle Briggs)


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Published 16 February 2019 3:06am
Source: AAP


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